What Can Be Done Now?
Connecticut Safe Routes to School Master Plan Guidelines
The CT SRTS Program has developed a set of guidelines to help communities create their own Safe Routes to School Master Plan. This Guide will assist you in understanding how to organize your team and what elements are necessary for a quality plan.
Education Activities:
Bicycle Safety Rodeo – This is a great way to educate children on the principles of bicycle safety in a fun and encouraging way. click here to download sample curriculum.
SafetyTown Kit Pedestrian Safety Activities – A set of hands-on learning activities that focus on pedestrian safety for early elementary school children. The Kit includes colorful cutouts of different vehicles, working pedestrian and traffic signals, stop signs, safety vests and a roadway. click here to learn more about the Safety town kit or click here to download the pedestrian activity curriculum.
Encouragement Activities:
Walking School Buses – http://www.walkingschoolbus.org/. The concept of a walking school bus is that a group of children will be escorted to and from school by an adult. This program helps to address the concerns that parents have about their children walking alone to school. Successful programs have included neighbors organizing a rotation of parent escorts and senior citizen groups organizing a volunteer schedule for neighborhoods throughout town.
Walk to School Day / Walking Wednesdays – This is an international initiative that has been spreading throughout the United States. October has been designated “Walk to School” month with a certain day being recognized as the official “Walk to School Day”. If you would like to start this activity and don’t want to wait until October or you participated in Walk to School Day and would like to continue this effort, try Walking Wednesdays, Walk or Wheel Wednesdays or Footloose Fridays as a way to encourage walking and biking throughout the school year.
Click here to learn more about this fun event.
Enforcement Activities:
PACE Car Program – This program focuses on enlisting drivers in your community to commit to driving the speed limit. By pledging to be “PACE Cars”, community members can help to control the speed of cars in their neighborhoods. Click here to learn more about this creative enforcement strategy.
Neighborhood Speed Watch Programs – This strategy is a way for police departments to work with community groups to address speed issues in a particular area and allows residents to play an active role in addressing traffic concerns. Learn more about this innovative partnership opportunity.
Engineering Activities:
Create a Walking and Biking Route Map – A great way to get an idea of the safest routes to school is to create a map that focuses on pedestrian and cyclist information. Click here to learn more on how to create one for your school.
Conduct a School Zone Crossing Review – Conducting an audit of your school crossings can help to identify if any improvements can be made. Click here to learn more.
Other No Cost or Low Cost Safe Routes to School Activities: http://www.sddot.com/srts/docs/no.pdf